Stephan Klasen

Stephan Klasen is professor of development economics at the University of Göttingen, Germany, where he also heads the Courant Research Center 'Poverty, equity, and growth in developing and transition countries. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University (where he completed a dissertation under the supervision of Amartya Sen on gender bias in mortality during the development process). He has since held positions at the World Bank, King's College (Cambridge, UK) and the University of Munich, Germany. His research focuses mostly on measurement, determinants and consequences of gender bias in developing countries. He is also a member of the UN Committee on Development Policy as well as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Can the female sarpanch deliver? Evidence from Maharashtra
One-third of all seats in village councils are reserved for women. The government has proposed an increase in quota to 50%, and in the period of reservation from five to 10 years. Based on a survey conducted in Maharashtra, this column finds that availability of basic public services for women is better in female-headed villages - when the female head has been in the job for 3-3.5 years.
